


Embracing the Void

by NobilisReed



Series: Kinderguardian [4]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Dark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-10-30
Packaged: 2021-01-13 12:01:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21243755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NobilisReed/pseuds/NobilisReed





	Embracing the Void

"I'm a little worried," said Ghost.

We had set up a sniper's nest on a hillside. A fallen tree and the rock it was lying on gave me solid cover, with enough space in the gap to let me see most of the Red Legion firebase below. A few legionaires and phalanxes stomped about, escorted by the much smaller psions.

"Don't worry, everything is going to go just fine," I said. "You've seen me practice."

"With weapons," it replied. "I haven't seen you use your powers."

"Don't need 'em."

"Let's hope not. And I just got the signal...the fireteam is on its way. Time to thin the herd."

"I hate that phrase," I replied, settling down into my firing stance, crouched next to the boulder, aiming under the tree. I sighted in on the Centurion at the guard station on the side of the massive wall of the firebase, its orange deflector shield glowing like a party lantern. The first shot collapsed the shield, releasing a wave of energy that flattened the psion standing next to it, and staggered a nearby legionnaire. I fired again, hitting the centurion square in the head. It dropped, splattering black oil across the console where it stood.

Off to the right, I could hear the whine of approaching Sparrows. That would be the fireteam on its way into the base on some mission for the Tower, the ones I was clearing a way for.  
I shifted my aim to the legionnaire and fired again, dropping it with another perfect headshot. I looked up from the scope to reload and find the next target as the sparrows streaked down the Golden Age highway that snaked past the base.

A Red Legion fireteam stood between the sparrows and the base. The echoing reports of my rifle had alerted them, and the phalanx had activated its shield projector, planting its shield in the ground to create an impromptu strongpoint. The white field couldn't be popped as easily as the Centurion's shield had been, but it was immobile, and had a weak spot in the center where the generator was.  
I slotted another clip into the Troubador, and took aim. A single shot took out the generator, and caused the Cabal phalanx to take a step back, its shield temporarily disabled. A second shot took it down. A nearby psion raised its weapon in my direction, but I fired first, splattering it across the corpse of the phalanx.

As I reloaded, I surveyed the battlefield. The fireteam had dismounted from their sparrows, drawn their weapons, and were advancing across the open ground toward the entrance to the firebase. With focused precision, they wiped out the rest of the cabal patrol, then sprinted toward the gate.

I scanned the massive wall of the firebase, watching. When a gate opened, and another Cabal patrol stomped out to confront the fireteam, I took them out as well, firing and reloading with practiced efficiency.

As the Guardian fireteam got close to the entrance, I spotted four psion snipers stepping out onto a ledge high on the wall where they could fire down on them. "Oh, no you don't," I said, and took aim at one of them.

Then, in a smooth motion, all four raised their weapons toward me. There was no doubt they had seen me, probably tracing me back from the shots I had fired down at the patrol. Maybe they could sense my thoughts--rumor had it they were telepathic.

There was no more than a moment to consider. I could take cover, roll out of the way behind the rock, and probably avoid taking any fire. Or I could take down as many of them as I could before they shot.

The question was no question. I fired. Once, twice, not bothering for head shots, instead going for the center of mass, trusting the power of the sniper rifle in my hands to handle the lightly armored psions. They flew back, landing in heaps on their ledge, but as I brought the third into my scope, the remaining two fired.

There was no time to get away. The combined power of the two shots blasted away my own shield, and pain exploded in my chest as the impact sent me sprawling back against the hillside. My vision ran red, and my heartbeat thundered in my ears. I crawled toward the shelter of the rock, expecting at any moment for the psions to fire again, to finish me off, but they didn't.

"Stay calm," said ghost. "You'll be alright." A pale light emanated from its lens, bathing my body in warm comfort. The pain subsided immediately. I opened my eyes, just in time to see a Fallen vandal climb up over the log. With a roar of triumph, it raised its blade, crackling with arc energy, and swung it down at me.

I rolled out of the way, overcome with panic, and then the strangest thing happened. A cold emptiness filled me, body and mind, like I was escaping into nothingness.

The Fallen vandal stood there in the middle of my little nest, looking around, snarling in its guttural language, slashing out at random with its deadly blades. It couldn't see me!

"Either kill it or run," Ghost whispered in my head. "You've taken the Shadow Step. It only lasts a few seconds."

I hesitated a moment. This was a lot less impersonal than sniping at Cabal legionnaires from a quarter of a mile away. But with the empty nothingness inside steadying my hand, I drew my sidearm and fired. The sound of three rapid shots echoed across the valley, the vandal's lifeless body slid down the hillside.

I didn't feel anything at first, beyond that cold hollowness. I raised my hand. It, and the weapon I gripped, were nearly invisible beyond a slight shimmer. Then my hand faded back into visibility. The wet blanket lifted from my body and I fell to my knees and retched.

Nothing came up. Of course it didn't. I hadn't eaten for--well, not since I visited mom. Which was a while ago. Didn't really need to, not with the Light.

"What was that...emptiness?" I asked, when I could draw breath again.

"You drew on your Light, guardian," said Ghost. "You're a Nightstalker."

I poked my head up from behind the log and looked around. Luckily for me, the vandal had been alone.

"How do I feel like that again?"

"Like what?"

"Empty. Cold. Remorseless."

"Oh, my..."


End file.
